Ladle cover



mm 25, 19240 magma E. J. REILLY LADLE COVER Filed Oct. 21, 1921 A 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 fig. 1 Fly. 2.

LADLE COVER Filed Oct. 21. $921 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 16 Fly. 6 1a glwuewtoz Patented Mar. 25, 1924.

EDGAR- J'. REILLY, 0F YOUNGSTOW'LT, OHIO, ASSIGNOB TO THE WILLIAM B. POLLOCK COMPANY, OF YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

LADLE COVER.

Application filed October 21, 1921. Serial No. 509,337.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDGAR J. REILLY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Youngstown, Mahoning County, Ohio, have invented a newrand useful Improvement in Ladle Covers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a plan view of one form of ladle cover embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a side view of the same. 7 p

Figure 3 is a section on the line III-III of Figure 1. p

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional vlew of a portion of the cover. I

Figure 5 is a plan view showing another form of cover Figure 6 is a section on the line VI-VT of Figure 5. x p A v Figure 7 is a detail view showing one of the door catches or lock, and

Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional view showing a portion of the cover, one of the doors-and a portion of the ladle body.

My invention has relation to covers for use in connection with open top ladles for handling molten iron and steel. It has been the common practice for many years to draw molten metal from a blast furnace into a ladle car, carrying a ladle vessel which is open at the top. At steel works it has also been the practice to draw a charge of molten steel from an open hearth furnace into a similar open top ladle.

The filling of these ladles may require as long as twenty minutes, and during this entire period, as well as during the transportation of the ladle from the blast furnace to the pig casting machine, or other receiving receptacle, or during its transportation from the open hearth to the ingot molds into which the steel is poured, the metal contained therein is radiating heat. This loss of heat is particularly rapid at the open top of the ladle. To minimize these heat losses, the usual custom is to cover the top portion of the metal with loose coke breeze. The total time which'may elapse between the beginning of the pour until the end of the discharge may be anywhere from thirty minutes to two hours; and the total heat losses during this period, even when a coke breeze covering is provided, is very considerable, and results in the formation of a skull which means not only loss of metal, but also reduction in the capacity of the ladle vessel.

My invention is designed to provide a cover for open top ladles which will very largely reduce the heat losses with consequent reduction in the rapidity and extent of skull formation.

My invention is also designed to provide {a cover which may either entirely cover the top of the ladle and which may be removed by any convenient lifting means at the point where the metal is poured into the ladle and also at the point where the metal is poured out of it, in the case of top pour ladles. With bottom pour ladles such as are used in steel'works, the removal of the cover will not be necessary in pouring. My invention is also designed to provide a cover which will only partially enclose the top of the ladle, leaving one or more openings for receiving and pouring purposes. These openings may either be left permanently open or they may be provided with slides or doors which will enable them to be opened and closed when necessary, by the operator.

My invention also provides means for securing the ladle cover to the ladle proper in such a manner that the cover can be readily removed for the purpose of taking out the skull should such accumulate, or for relining or otherwise repairing the ladle.

Referring first to that form ofmy invention shown in Figures 1, 2, 8 and 4, the cover is built up from a plurality of cast sections, each of which is of grid or cell-like construction, the sections being abutted at their meet: ing edges and secured by suitable bolts. These sections are indicated by the numeral 2 and securing bolts are shown at 3. While this cover may be made to entirely close the top of the ladle, I have shown it as provided with diametrically opposite segmental openings l which may remain permanently open, although, if desired, they may be provided with any suitable door or slide such, for instance, as the doors shown in another form of my invention presently to be described. Each of the sections of which the cover is composed has intersecting wires or rods 5 strung therethrough in the manner indicated, and acting as a support for a filling 6 which may be of any suitable refractory material such as a mixture of fireclay and ganister, or a high temperature cement.

The cover is of arched form and is provided with lugs 7 which are designed to fit within the ladle proper and thus hold the 7 cover in proper position on the ladle. The

'one for each door.

cover is also preferably provided with 'suitable lifting eyes 8 for engagement with any suitable lifting mechanism, such as an overhead crane.

' In Figures 5, 6, 7 and 8 I have shown another form of cover consisting of a suitable metal shell or body 9 having flanges 10 adapted to retain a refractory lining 11 on the inner side of the cover. This cover is provided with diametrically opposite segmental openings 12 similar to the openings shown in Figure 1. Each of these openings is,- in this formof my invention, provided with a movable door which is shown as of segmental form and which may be moved from a position over the opening to a position at one side thereof. In the construction shown, each of these doors consists of a metal frame or shell 13 having a refractory lining 1 1. These doors are rigidly secured to opposite end portions of bars 15, which are mounted for turning movement upon a central pin or stud 16 which extends upwardly from the central portion of the cover. Preferably the end portions of the bars are forked where they are secured to the doors, as indicated at 17, and are also provided with wheels 18 journaled thereto and adapted to travel on the arcuate track 19 for the purpose of reducing friction. I also preferably provide the bars 15 with lugs 20 which, as

shown in Figure 6, engage underneath the top flange of the track members 19 so that in all positions of the cover these lugs will prevent the doors from falling away from the cover in case the ladle is overturned and the cotter pin 21 which secures the bars 15 when the pin or stud 16 should be missing or broken off.

The doors are normally held in closed positions by means of suitable catches, such as illustrated. Two of these catches are shown, Each of them consists of a latch or catch member 22 which is pivoted to the door 23 and which has a notch 24 adapted to drop over the pin 25. Each latch or catch member is also provided with a lifting projection 26. The bars 15 of the covers may be turned manually, and when the doors have been fully opened, the catch or latch member 22 will drop over the studs or projections 27 which are secured to the edge of the cover. .The cover is directly supportednpon the top flange-28 of the of nuts 33.-

If desired, similar clamping devices may be used in connection with the cover shown in Figures 1 to 41.

My invention provides covers by which the heat losses of hot metal ladles of the open hearth variety may be greatly reduced, and which may be readily applied to and removed from existing ladles. It will be understood that various changes may be made in the details of construction of the covers, .in' the construction and mode of operating the doors, and any other details, without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A cover for open top ladles, comprising a cellular or grid-like frame or shell having a filling of refractory material held in' position therein, substantially as de scribed.

2. A cover for open top ladles, comprising a metal shell and a protecting body of refractory material, said cover having means for detachably engaging it with the upper portion of an open top ladle and being also provided with an opening therein through which the contents of the ladle may be charged or discharged, substantially as described.

3. A cover for open top ladles having an opening therethrough in the edge portion thereof through which the contents of the ladle may be charged or discharged, and a removable door for closing said opening,

in its open and closed positions, substantially as described.

5. A coverfor open topladles, having an opening therethrough, a door for closing said opening, and a movable support for said door whereby the door may be moved into and out of closing position, together with means carried in part by said door and in part by said cover for locking the door in both its open and closed positions, substantially as described.

6. A cover for open top ladles having diametrically opposite openings, a door for each of said openings, and a member pivoted to the 'cover and carrying said doors,

substantially as described.

7. Acover foropen top ladles, having diametrically opposite openings, a door for each of said openings, and a, member pivoted to the cover and carrying said doors, together with antii'riction devices mounted on said member and tracks on which said antifriction devices travel, substantially as described.

8. A cover for open top ladies having an opening therethrough, a door for said opening, and a gravity latch or catch carried by said door for securing the door in both open and closed positions, substantially as described.-

9. A cover for open top ladies, comprising a cellular or grid-like casting having a filling of refractory material, and reinforcing members extending through and supporting said material, substantially as described.

10. A cover for open top ladles formed of a plurality of separate cellular or gridlike castings removably connected with each other, substantially as described.

11. A cover for open top ladies formed of a plurality of separate cellular or grid-like castings removably connected with each other, said castings having means for supporting therein a filling of refractory material, substantially as described.

12. A cover for open top ladies having two diametrically opposite openings in its edge portion through either 01- which the contents of the ladle may be charged or discharged, substantially as described.

13. A cover for open top ladies having an opening therein, a door for said opening, a track mounted on said cover and antii'iiction means carried by said door and engaging said track, substantially as described.

14. A cover for open top ladles having an opening therein, a door for said opening, supporting means for said door pivoted to said cover for movement in a substan tially horizontal plane, and anti-friction means carried by said supporting means and engaging said cover, substantially as described.

15. A. cover for open top ladies, comprising a cellular or grid-like frame or shell having a filling of refractory material, and means securing said filling in said frame or shell, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

EDGAR J. REILLY. 

